Drier



A. 5. FORTY DRIER Filed Jan. 18, 19:54

May 14, 4

2 sheets-sheet "Patented May 1935 UNITED STATES DRIER Albert G. Forty,Graniteville, Mass., assig'nor to C. G. Sargents Sons Corporation,Granitevllle,

Masa, a corporation of Massachusetts Application January 18, 1934,Serial No. '107,184

1 Claim.

lengths,'such as worsted top which is in rope form or various materialsmade in web form such as cloth, etc.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a machine of this kindwherein the material to be treated is caused 'to traverse a tortuouspath through the drying chamber and wherein the conveyor for ca y ng thematerial is of a type to effectively hold the material while passingthrough the drying chamber.

An additional object of the invention is toprovide an apparatus'of thiskind wherein the material to be treated is carried through the dryingchamber in what may be termed up and down paths, together with means foreffectively subjecting said material as it travels up and down withinthe drying chamber to the action of the drying medium.

The invention consists in the details of construction and in thecombination and arrangement of the severalparts of my improved drierwhereby certain important advantages'are attained and the devicerendered simpler, less expensive and otherwise more convenient andadvantageous for use, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

The novel features of my invention will herein- 5 after he definitelyclaimed.

In order that my invention may be the better understood, I will nowproceed to describe the same with reference to the accompanyingdrawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view taken through a drying apparatusconstructed in accordance with an embodiment of my invention and of asomewhat diagrammatic character;

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially on the line2-2 of Figure l and also of a somewhat diagrammatic character;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary view in plan of the top conveyor;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view in plan of the bottom conveyor;

Figure 5 is a diagrammatic view in elevation illustrating a furtherembodiment of my invention;

Figure 6 is a diagrammatic view in elevation illustrating anotherembodiment of the invention.

As disclosed in the accompanying drawings, H denotes a housing ofdesired dimensions and configuration and which is divided by thevertically disposed partition I into a dryin'g'chahiber D at one sidethereof and at the opposite side to provide a. fan chamber F and theheating chamber C. These chambers F and Q are separated one from theother by the partition 2 extending from the lower portion of theadjacent side wall 3 to the upper portion of the partition I at .adesired point below the top wall 4 of the housing. The upper edge of thepartition I also terminates below the top wall 4 of the housing 10 toprovide therealong an opening 5 co-extensive with the length of chamberD affording communication between the upper portions of the chambers Dand C. The lower portion of the partition 2 is provided withhorizontally spaced open- 15 ings 6 and rearwardly of each opening andwithin the chamber F is arranged a power operated fan P which operatesto draw air downward through the chamber D and through the material orstock passing through said chamberD and 20 back into the upper portionof the chamber, D through the opening 5.

Positioned within the upper portion of the chamber C and below theopening 5 are the heating pipes 1 extending lengthwise of the chamber 25C whereby the air just before it passes through the opening 5 into theupper portion of the chamber D is heated to the desired temperature.Steam is preferably coursed through the pipes l to attain the desiredheating action although, of 30 course, any other medium may be employedas may be effectively used.

Disposed transversely of the lower portion of the chamber D andpreferably equidistantly' spaced are the parallel shafts 8 substantially00- '35 planar and uneven in number. Disposed transversely of the upperportion of the chamber D and substantially medially positioned withrespect to adjacent shafts 8 are. shafts 9. The

4 shafts 9 are even in number thus assuring the 40 proper positioning ofa shaft 9 with respect to each two adjacent shafts 8.

Exteriorly of the housing H and inflclose proximity to the lower portionthereof are rotatably supported the shafts Ill and II, the shaft. con-45 stituting the operating shaft and being in driven connection with asource of power herein generally indicated as the motor M of an electrictype. However, any means may be employed toreifect the desired rotationof the shaft II. The shafts 50 8 adjacent the ends thereof carry thesprocket wheels 8' while the extremities of the shafts 9 carry thesprockets 9 and operatively engaged successively with the sprockets 8'and 9' are the side chains 12 of an endless conveyor. Each of 55 thesechains I2 is extended outwardly of the .housing H through the suitablyformed openings I4 provided in the end walls of the housing or moreparticularly the chamber D so that each of said side chains I2 may beoperatively engaged with the sprockets I and I I" carried respectivelyby the shafts I0 and II.

As the sprockets II' are mounted for rotation with the shaft II as thisshaft is rotated the chains I2 will be drawn through the chamber D atdesired speed with the upper stretches of the chains I2 preferablytraveling in the direction of the shaft II so that the conveyor in whichthe chains are comprised together with the material on such conveyorwill be pulled through the chamber.

The links of the chains I2 are connected by the cross rods I5 and whichprovide supports for the material to be treated and which material maybe worsted top which is in rope form or kin l2 of the conveyorhereinbefore referred to.-

Each of these chains I'I passes around the sprocket wheels I8 looselymounted on the shafts 9 to the outer side of the sprocket wheels 9' atsaidend portions of the shafts 9. Each of the chains I! also passesaround the sprockets I8 mounted on the shafts I9 positioned in closeproximity to but above the lower sprocket wheels 8' on the shafts 8.Each of the chains I'I also passes over the guide sprockets 2| carriedby theshafts 2I.

arranged within the upper portion of the chamber D adjacent to the endsthereof so that an upper stretch of each of the chains I! will travelabove the top sprockets 9'.

In order that each of the fans I shall have desired effective actionwithin the drying chamber the lower portion of the partition I inhorizontal alignment with each of the openings 6 in the partition 2 isprovided with an opening 22, and the effective circulation of the airthrough the drying chamber is further assured by the stationarydeflector 23 and the movable or adjustable deflector 24 mounted withinthe top portion of the chamber D in a position with respect totheeduction opening 5 as will secure an even distribution of the heatedair upon the stock carried through the drying chamber by the conveyor.

Aside from the general use in connection with the improved conveyingmechanism the'deflectors 23 and '24 form no part of the presentinvention.

The wall 3 of the housing H at a point substantially midway of the fansP and between said fans and the heating pipes I is provided with anopening 25 affording communication between the chamber C and anupstanding flue 26. This flue 26 is of desired height and allows for anair exhaust for the chamber C and the flowthrough the flue 26 is undercontrol of a valve 21.

In the embodiment of the invention as diagrammatically illustrated inFigure 5, the first rising portion and the last descending portion ofthe conveyor 28 have associated therewith the endless holding chains 29each being of a structure substantially similar to the chains I1 andcross rods I6 hereinbefore referred to, while the adjacent descendingand ascending portions of the conveyor 28 have associated therewith anendless holding chain 30 travelling in what might be termed a V path sothat portions of the chain 30 will provide proper stretches foreffective coaction with said adjacent descending and ascending portions,

In the embodiment of the invention as diagrammatically illustrated inFigure 6, the rising portions 28 of the stock carrying conveyor each hasassociated therewith an endless travelling holding chain 29' preferablyof a structure such as hereinbefo e described with respect to the chainsI! an connecting rods I6.

It will be noted from Figure 1 that the air inlet opening 5 extends thefull length of the drying chamber H so that the air passes downward onboth sides of each pair of upwardly converging chain flights and thatthe eduction openings, with the eduction fans are disposed adjacent thelower ends of these flights and between the lower ends of the upwardlyconverging flights so that the air is drawn downward through thematerial is held upon these conveyor chains by the outer chain II buteven if this outer chain I! were not used, the air moving downward willact to hold the material against the upper faces of the conveyor chainI2.

Attention is also called to the particular manner in which I train thechain II. It is impossible 'to carry the chain II down around thesprockets 8' ordown around sprockets mounted upon the wheel shafts 8 ofthe sprocket wheels 8 because if this were attempted the sprocket chainor, conveyor I! would have to pass through the inner chain IS, theconveyor 'II having to pass over the upper sprocket wheels and under thelower sprocket wheels. If it was attempted to From the foregoingdescription it is thought.

to be obvious that a drier constructed in accordance with my inventionis particularly well adapted for use by reason of the convenience andfacility with which it may be assembled and operated, and it will alsobe obvious that my invention is susceptible of some change andmodification without departing from the principles and spirit thereofand for this reason I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself tothe precise arrangement and formation of the several parts herein shownin carrying out my invention in practice except as hereinafter claimed.

I claim:--

In a drier, a drying chamber, a chain conveyor entering the lowerportion of the chamber through one end wall thereof and leaving throughthe lower portion ofthe opposite end wall, a series of sprocket wheelsdisposed at spaced points at the lower end of the chamber between theentrance and exit opening, a series of sprocket wheels adjacent theupper portion of the chamber, the chain conveyor being trained beneaththe first named sprocket wheels and over the second named sprocketwheels to'provide a series of ascending and descending flights, sprocketwheels concentric to but larger than the upper sprocket wheels, sprocketwheels disposed above but in line with 5 the first named sprocket wheelsand an endless chain conveyor travelling around the third and fourthnamed sprocket wheels and bearing against the material on the uppersurface of the first named conveyor and travelling therewith.

. ALBERT G. FOR'I'Y.

